Tuesday 21st to Wednesday 22nd June 2022

Posted: 24/06/2022 15:16

Tuesday 21st.  A light to  moderate S'ly slowly veered into the NNE over the course of a sunny day, with Cumulus tending to spread out.  The wind change caused 2 redeployments, the original operations off runway 24, with landings on 20, changing in the mid afternoon to operations off 02 and then off 06 around 2000 hrs as the Tuesday evening group continued to fly, increasing the day's launch total to 36.  While all 4 club 2 seaters were flown and one of the Astirs, the conditions only tempted 3 private owners to launch with all three being aloft for > 3 hours and all flying cross countries.  Albert and Martin Newbery in their DG1000t flew a 142 task around Thirsk/Goole N and Market Weighton, reaching a maximum altitude of just over 5,000' asl with a best climb of 2.7 kts.  John Ellis in his DG800 completed the first part of his 310 km task, turning Burton upon Stather and Masham after surviving a low point near Goole N, before running into very heavy sink on the way to Aysgarth and resorting to his engine.  Regaining the convection, John continued with the rest of the task, turning Pocklington before returning to site, a distance of 296 km.  John's best altitude was 5,200'  asl, with a best climb of 3.7 kts.  Tony Druy's 3:13 minute flight in his DG303 took him to just short of Northallerton, Ripon and Castle Howard, with a best altitude of 4,800' asl and a best climb of 4,5 kts.  While no one else exceeded an hours flying time, Fred Brown/Peter Slingsby came closest with 58 minutes in K21 KLW  followed by Adam Sayer with 52 minutes in Astir DSU.   Guy Hartland/Dave Thompson made the headlines by landing out in K21 JVZ 4 km NW of Boroughbridge.

Wednesday 22nd.  A light S'ly slowly backed into the SE and strengthened to moderate by late afternoon, skies remaining or going blue over the course of the day around the local area.  The forecast soaring conditions, tempted a numbers of pilots to go cross country but,, initially, conditions were difficult with climbs restricted to 3-3,400' asl for the first part of the soaring period although conditions improved later both in terms of maximum altitudes and climb rates, particularly for those who ventured south of the Humber.  Steve Thompson in his Ventus bt and Chris Handzlik in his DG300 both flew Sutton/Carlton/Beverley/Masham/Sutton, 216 km, finding the going a struggle to start, but improving later, with climbs to 4,300' als and best climb rates of up to 3.9 kts.  Bill Payton and Stuart Heaton in their DG1000t struggled to get above 3,400' asl for the first 1:20 of their 3:24 flight and had to resort to their engine while near Ripon, but after reconnecting with lift near Thirsk went on to turn Guisborough and Scarborough, including following the coast from Robin Hood's Bay to Scarborough.  Their 200 km flight included an maximum height of 4,700' asl and a maxmimum climb rate of 4.1 kts.  Chris Teagle in his Kestrel flew 134  km around Market Weighton and Burn, while Martyn Johnson visited Rufforth before wandering around York and returning to the Thirsk area before landing back at site.  Rob Bailey in his ASG29 and Derek Taylor in his ASW22 both flew south of the Humber and found superb conditions in Lincolnshire.  Derek flew Sutton/Tontine/Horncastle/Tontine/Sutton, 355 km, climbing to 5,300' asl in an average 5,7 kt thermal near Brigg, while Rob flew 371 km with TPs at Horncastle and Melton Mowbray climbing to 6,000' in a average 6.0 kt thermal near Tuxford Junction.  Returning home, Rob flew a 63 km final glide from overhead Goole N.  All but three of the 13 > an hour flights were flown by private owners, the exceptions being the 1;10 flown by Guy Hartland/Paul Leake in K21 FYF, the 1;17 by Rod Brister in Astir DSU and the 1:42 by Adrian Funnel in Astir DPO off the last flight of the day.  The last landing of the day, at 18:19, was by Clive Swain in his Kestrel after a flight of 6:50 while Tor Taverner had 2 flights solo in his T21, the second being for 55 minutes.        

This blog describes a snippet of life at the Yorkshire Gliding Club. Why not take a flight and try it yourself, or we can teach you to fly as a full club member.

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